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Friday, July 29, 2016

Label Deficit Disorder

Continuing the theme of using the four pillars from our Disinfection Dysfunction
education campaign, this week I want you to ask yourself “Does your
disinfectant have misleading claims?” If it does, you may be using a product
that has Label Deficit Disorder!

We are inundated on a daily basis with emails,
advertisements in journals and magazines, meetings with sales reps, vendor
tables at education conferences, etc. it’s a wonder that anyone can make heads
or tails out of the fodder. As Dr. Syed Sattar expressed in his blog “Stop
the Smoke and Mirrors,” there are a number of areas that need improvement when
it comes to the product development and registration of a disinfectant. But
also from a decision maker perspective, to ensure we are asking and looking for
relevant criteria when making a product choice. Aside from the contact
times, product claims, and educational support, we should also refuse to
receive or allow companies to pull the wool over our eyes when it comes to
advertising or marketing claims.

Two of my personal pet peeves include the
numbers game and chasing the non-existent efficacy claim. This unfortunately occurs more frequently
than one would think (or hope). Contrary
to some companies’ belief, advertising that a product kills X bugs while the
closest competition only kills Y bugs is not relevant and frankly in some cases
can be downright dangerous. We have to remember that it is more than just
what the product kills that needs to be taken into account when choosing a
disinfectant.

When it comes to emerging diseases or obscure pathogens that
have hit the news or are being promoted by a company as being relevant, we need
to pause before running around looking for a product. Case in point is looking for a disinfectant
with an HPV
claim. It does not exist. There is currently no Health Canada, EPA or
FDA approved lab that can conduct testing in a manner required to obtain a
label claim. My other favorite story is
a facility searching for the elusive disinfectant for use on soft surfaces as
requested by the Joint Commissions during their last audit. I shudder to think how many other facilities
were sent scurrying looking for a product that does not exist. The EPA only approves sanitizing claims
against vegetative bacteria on soft surfaces.
There is no approved disinfection claim for soft surfaces.

I hope the next time you read the label or marketing
material of the product your facility is currently using or a new product
you’re investigating you’ll stop and ask “Does my disinfectant have misleading
label claims?”

2 comments:

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Glad you enjoyed the blog! Understanding how to read and what to believe when it comes to the proper use of cleaners and disinfectants is important to ensure the best outcome of their use but also to ensure the safety of the user.